Open Catalan: 5...c5 6.O-O Nc6 7.Qa4 is variation 3 of 6 in the Catalan Opening course, a advanced opening course for White (ECO E04). It runs 22 moves and begins 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 …. Black hits d4 at once with ...c5. White pins the c6-knight with Qa4 and regains material with a long-diagonal combination: after ...cxd4 Nxd4 Qxd4 Bxc6+ White wins the queen back with Rd1. In the lesson every move is explained on a board and then drilled; it is free.
Move by move
1. d4 – White takes the centre.
1... Nf6 – Black develops.
2. c4 – White gains space.
2... e6 – Prepares ...d5.
3. g3 – The Catalan fianchetto.
3... d5 – Black takes the centre.
4. Bg2 – The bishop goes to the long diagonal.
4... dxc4 – Black takes the pawn.
5. Nf3 – Develops and covers d4 and e5.
5... c5 – Black attacks d4 straight away, opening lines for his own pieces.
6. O-O – White castles; the long diagonal will soon matter.
6... Nc6 – Develops and adds pressure on d4.
7. Qa4 – The queen pins the c6-knight along a4-e8 and attacks c4.
7... cxd4 – Black takes on d4 so the knight on c6 gets support from the queen along the d-file.
8. Nxd4 – White recaptures, attacking the pinned c6-knight a second time.
8... Qxd4 – Black takes the knight; the queen looks safe on d4, but White has a combination.
The lesson goes on for 6 more moves, each with its explanation.
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